Rotary machine



y D. 'M. SMITH ROTARY MACHINE Dec. 24, 1935.

'Original Filed June 3, .1931

ATT-Oene# A Dec. 24, 1935. D M, SMITH 2,025,250

ROTARY MACHINE Griginal Filed June 5; 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ifil 5. I 4 l iii f j @MMMI* [N U15/v TQQ: U10 f?. 079/779,

,4free/Vex Dec. 24, 1935. D. M. SMITH 2,025,250

ROTARY MACHINE Original Filed June 5, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet .5

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Patented Dec. 24, 1935 UNITED STATES PAT FFICE ROTARY MACHINE David M. Smith, Hermosa Beach, Calif., assigner to Emsco Derrick & Equipment Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Original application `lune 3, 1931, Serial No. 541,771. Divided and this application February 13, 1933, Serial No. 656,603

1.7 Claims. (Cl. Z55-23) My invention relates to rotary machines of the character employed in the drilling of oil wells by the so-called rotary system. This application is a division of my application entitled Oil enclosed rotary, Serial No. 541,771, filed June 3, 1931.

'which prevents oil employed for lubricating purposes from being thrown from or escaping from an Aenclosed portion of the rotary machine. In addition, the invention relates to means for pre1 venting foreign matter from entering the enclosed portion. In order that my invention may be fully and clearly understood, I will briefly refer to that part of the oil well drilling industry to which my invention appertains.

In the industry referred to, the rotary machine is placed on the derrick floor of the well being drilled. A drill pipe is extended through the rotary table of the rotary machine and carries a bit at its lower end. In the present form of rotary machine the rotary table has a bevel or ring gear which is driven by a pinion mounted on a pinion shaft, which pinion shaft is journalled in bearings supported by the base of the rotary machine. A sprocket is ordinarily secured to the outer end of the pinion shaft, which sprocket is driven from a draw works ordinarily positioned at the side of the derrick floor by means of an endless chai'n which extends across the derrick door. The rotary table of the rotary machine rotates the drill pipe and the bit digs away the bottom of thewell in orderto deepen same.

The drill pipe is usually carried by a swivel head which is in turn supported by a, travelling block or the purpose of feeding the drill pipe downwardly into the well as drilling progresses. For the purpose of providing lubrication for the bit, for floating the drill pipe away from the walls of the well being drilled, for preventing cave-ins in the well, and for carrying the cuttings to the surface of the ground, rotary mud is pumped downwardly through the drill pipe, which rotary mud passes outwardly through openings provided in the bit and flows up to the surface of the ground around the drill pipe.

When adding a length or section of drill pipe or removing a length or section of drill pipe, considerable rotary mud which is very slushy and slippery in its character falls onto the rotary table, and in present rotary machines when the rotary table is rotated either to make or break a joint, this rotary mud is thrown outwardly from the table of the'rotary machine by centrifugal force and is spread over the derrick floor. Obviously, this rotary mud on the derrick floor makes footngvery insecure and creates a constant menace to the safety of the operators working near the rotary machine or working on the iloor of the derrick.

It is an object or my present invention to pro- Vide a rotary machine of the type above described in which rotary mud is not thrown outwardly onto the floor of the derrick.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a rotary machine having a means which prevents the rotary mud falling onto the rotary table from being thrown outwardly a material distance beyond the rotary machine.

It is a more specific object of my inventionto provide a, rotary machine of this character which has a guard means which is so formed that the rotary mud or mud fluid thrown outwardly from the upper surface of the rotary table during rotation is deflected downwardly so that the same is not thrown over the derrick oor.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a guard means of the character referred to in the foregoing paragraph which includes as a. part thereof a means for depriving the rotary mud which is thrown outwardly from the rotary table of its centrifugal or swirling motion in order that the same will fall directly downwardly and will not pass outwardly over the derrick floor.

It is a still further object of my present invention to provide a rotary machine having a stationary guard which partially covers the top of the rotary table and which serves as a platform upon which a workman may stand if necessary.

Oil wells today are being drilled to exceedingly great depths, necessitating larger and heavier drilling apparatus which consequently materially increases the already tremendous strains to which rotary machines are subjected during operation. As a result, the working parts of the rotary machines have been made more and more rugged and massive in order to endure these strains and consequently a necessity has arisen for suitable lubrication of these working parts in order to minimize friction and reduce wear.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a rotary machine in which; all of the integrally with the wall I3 is a vertically extendworking parts are completely enclosed and constantly lubricated.

In the preferred form of my invention there is a lubricant chamber which is formed by cooperating walls of the base and the rotary table of the rotary machine. contains a lubricant, such as oil, which is circulated through the working parts. Inorder to reduce oil leakages, it is highly desirableto have suitable sealing means provided and particularly atvthe joint between the base and the rotary table.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a unique sealing means'for'preventing lubricant from leaking or being thrown outwardly from the lubricant chamber of the rotary machine.

The rotary mud or iiuid which falls onto the top of the rotary table, as previously mentioned, in ordinary rotary machines finds its way into the working parts'and causes undue wear and destroys the lubricating qualities of any such lubricant as may be provided. In the rotary machine of my invention it is highly desirable to provide special means for excluding rotary mud from the lubricant chamber and to protect the oil therein from being adulterated..

It is one of'the objects of this invention to provide a rotary machine of the type described above in which there is provided sealing means Ifor preventing rotary mud or mud fluid from entering the interior of the rotary machine.`

Other objects and particular advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following description of the preferred form of my invention.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevational vie'w, partly sectioned, showing the features of my invention.

Fig.`2 is a plan view of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing l which skids I4 depend. Formed integrally withv the horizontal wall I3 adjacent one end thereof is a vertically extending annular wall I6, this wall being of a diameter substantially equal to the width of the horizontal wall I3. Adjacent its upper edge the annular wall ,I6 is increased in thickness and is cored to form an annular rim I1 having a series of vertical passages I8 extending-from the upper edge I9 of the wall I6 to the lower edge 20 of the rim I1. .Formed also ing annular rim 22 which is somewhat smaller in diameter than the annular wall I6 and cooperates with this wall I6 and the horizontal wall I3.to form an oil reservoir 23.- The wall I8 is somewhat lower than the wall I6 and is somewhat thicker in order to either support or form a bearing race 25 of a main table bearing 26. The main table bearing 26 includes rollers 21 and an upper movable race 2li which may be separate or may be formed integrally with a rotary table 29 which is supported by the base. This rotary table 29 has a cylindrical wall 30 which extends downwardly through a central opening 3| of the base Il and also includes a horizontally This lubricant chamber A'2,025,250 p y e extending flange which forms a table top 44 of therotary tablef2'9. The table top #.4 has secured to the under side thereof and withi-n the rim` I1 a bevel gear orring gear 46 having downwardly facing lbevel teeth 41. The ring gear 46 5, has an internal diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of the bearing 26 and an ex- ,ternal diameter slightly less than 'the internal diameter of the annular wall I6. For the purpose of rotating the rotary table 44 there is a 10 -pinion 48 having teeth 49 which are meshed with the teeth 41 of the ring gear 46. This pinion 48 is supported within the oil reservoir 23. The lower portion of the pinion is submerged below the oil level in order that oil will be picked 15 up by the pinion 48 and delivered to the teeth 41 of the ring gear l46. The pinion 48 is secured to a pinion shaft 50 which extends outwardly through an opening provided in the wall I5 and is rotatably supported by bearings 5I` vwhich in- 20 clude suitable bearing housings, as shown. The outer end of the pinion shaft 50 has a sprocket 52 secured thereto whereby the pinion shaft 50 may be rotated.

Between the-wall I6 of the base II and the 25A table top 44 is a mud seal generally designated by the numeral 53 and disclosed best in Fig. 3. The seal 53 includes an annular groove 54 formed in the upper edge I9 of the wall I6, this groove providing an inner upwardly extending lip 55 30';

and an outer upwardly extending lip 56. The groove v54 extends through and communicates with the vertical passages I8. Formed on the under 'surface of the table top 44 is a depending annular ridge 51 which extends downwardly into 35 the groove 54. The inner vertical annular surface 58 of the ridge 51, thehorizontal under surface of the table top 44, and the outer vertical annular surface of the ring gear 46 cooperate with the inner lip 55 to form an annular passage 40 59 between the bottom of the groove 54 and the interior of the base casting I I, this passage 59 in cross section having the form of an inverted U. Formed on the periphery of the table top 44 is a depending annular flange 60 providing an in- 45 ner vertically extending annular surface 69 which cooperates with the under surface of the table top 44, the outer vertical annular surface 69 of the ridge 51, and the upwardly extending outer lip 56 to form a narrow annular passage 10 com- 50 municating between the bottom of the groove 54 and the exterior of the rotary machine, this passage 10 in cross section also having the form of an inverted U, as shown. Provided adjacent the mud fluid seal 53 is an oil saving means or55 oil seal generally designated by the numeral 'I3 shown best in Fig. 3. Provided on the periphery of the ring gear 46 is anl outwardly extending flange 15, the under surface of whichis formed .to provide a depending annular bead 16. Formed 60 For the purposey of preventing rotary mud or 70 mud fluid from being thrown outwardly from the rotary table 29 over the derrick .floor by centrifugal force and as a means of guarding workmen from possible iniuryr provide a ring guard which comprises a flanged ring proi5 viding a vertically extending annular wall Si which surrounds the periphery 92 of the upper portion of the rotary table 29, and a horizontally extending flange orplate 93 which extends inwardly from the annular wall 9i and is preferably formed integrally therewith. For the pur pose of securing this ring guard 951 in place, a plurality of bolt means 95 is employed, as disclosed in detail in Fig. 3. The ring guard is supported in such a manner as to provide a slight clearance or small space. as indicated at 9i, between the outer portion 98 of the top face of the rotary tableand the lower face 9g of the horizontal plate or ange 93. The horizontal plate or flange 93 is annular in character and therefore provides a relatively large central opening which exposes a large part of the upper face of the rotary table 29 and gives full access to the rotary table to permit usual drilling operations, etc. to be performed with the rotary machine. The annular wall 9i is of such a diameter that there is an annular space m2 of substarnl tially vertical extension surrounding the peripheral wall 92 of the rotary table 29 and within an inner face m3 of the annular wall di. The outer part of the clearance or space 9i is connected to the annular space ttt, as shown clearly in Fig. 3.

Projecting inwardly from the inner face m3 of the vertical annular wall @i is a pluralityof radially spaced fins E which are preferably of vertical extension. These ns it@ are most conveniently formed integrally with the annular wall di, and in the preferred form of my invention they are extended inwardly to a point just short of the peripheral wall @E of the rotary table 2d.

The operation of my invention is substantially as follows:

The'table 29 is rotated by means of a sprocket chain, not shown, which engages the sprocket b2. This rotates the pinion shaft 5t and the pinion d5. Due to the fact that the pinion dit has teeth in engagement with the teeth l? of the ring gear titi, the rotary table is rotated. Due to the fact that the pinion 38 is partly submerged in the oil in the oil reservoir 23, it will pick up a quan-1 tity of oil and carry it into contact with the teeth di of the ring gear et. A portion of the oil adhering to the teeth ll of the ring gear is thrown outwardly by centrifugal force against thevinner surface of the wall i5 and will there-vl after flow downwardly into the oil reservoir 23, a part of this oil being utilized to properly lubricate the main bearing 2S. Any of the fluid adhering to the teeth il of the ring gear which might be caused by centrifugal force to travel directly outwardly along the teeth and tend to ow upwardly through the passage 59, as indicated by the arrows D, is caught by the depending bead 'i6 and is delivered thereby by centrifugal force to the trough 'I8 where the oil may collect and from which the oil drained through the openings 19, flowing, as indicated by arrows E, downwardly along the annular wall I6 will pass to the oil reservoir 23.

When the rotary machine is in operation and the rotary table is rotated it will rotate in a clockwise direction in Fig. 2, as indicated by the arrow R.- Any rotary mud or mud uid which fallsl onto the rotary table either while the same is at rest or while the same is rotating' will be thrown outwardly with considerable force upon rotation of the rotary table in paths substantially tangential to the periphery of the rotary table such as is indicated by the arrows |08 of Fig. 2. 'It is quite common during the course of drilling of an oil well for a rotary tabletto be driven at speeds ranging from to 140 revolutions per minute, and I have determined from observation that the force at which the 5 rotary mud and mud fluid or water are thrown outwardly from the rotary table is so great thatthe rotary mud and mud fluid or water are thrown over the entire derrick floor, thus creating a veryr;A dangerous condition which has in many instances :.10 resulted in serious injury to workmen, due to the i fact that workmen have not had a secure foot l ing on the derrick door. In my invention the rotary mud which may fall onto the upper face of the rotary table 29 whenl thrown outwardly 15 therefrom, as indicated by the arrows lllti, passes, as indicated by arrows Hdd, into the space Si and is thereafter caused to ow through this space 9i into the vertical space lil?, thus being 'deected downwardly and thus being prevented 20 from continuing in an outward direction and ultimately falling over the entire derrick fioo or a part thereof.

I have found by experiment that when the rotary mud is relatively thin and the revolutions 25 per minute of the rotary table are relatively high, the force applied to the rotary mud or mud fluid is so great that the rotary mud continues to move in a spiral or twisting path in the space @l and the vertical space ill?, and upon passing from the lower part of the space itl tends to continue to move outwardly I have therefore found that it is desirable to guard against such a contingency by providing the ns idd which serve to eectively deprive the rotary mud or mud fluid of all of its spiral or twisting motion, thus entirely relieving the rotary mud of all of its energy which tends to cause it to move out wardly from the rotary machine. The rotary mud or mud fluid having no such energy will therefore fall downwardly from the vertical space m2 and by the action of gravity drop onto the base il or the immediately adjacent part of the derrick iloor.

In the event that any of the mud flud enters the space between the table top and the base casting il and has a tendency to iiow upwardly and inwardly through the inverted U-shaped passage it of the mud seal 5t, this mud will upon reaching the bottom of the groove 5d fall downwardly through the vertical passages l provided in the rim il. It will be seen that none of the rotary mud or mud fluid or water canpenetrate to the interior of the machine to adulterate the lubricating fluid contained in the oil reservoir 23. This is a particularly valuable feature inasmuch as it is the usual practice while washing down to direct a high pressure water stream against the rotary machine and upon the derrick floor. During this washing down operation the water can penetrate only as far as the bottom of the groove `513 and will then be drained therefrom by the pasrotary table is rotatably supported on said base;

drive means whereby said rotary table is rotated; and an annular upstandng wall surrounding said 75 rotary table for diverting.v the fluid which is thrown outwardly from the upper surface of said rotary table.

2. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oil wells, the combination' of: a base; a rotary table; bearing means whereby said rotary table is rotatably supported on said base; drive means whereby said rotary table is rotated; and means for preventing fluid from being thrown outward a material distance beyond the upper surface of said rotary table, said last named means including wall means for restraining the outward travel of said fluid and for restraining the spiral motion thereof.

3. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oil wells, the combination of: a base; a rotary table; bearing means whereby said rotary table is rotatably supported on said base:

drive means whereby said rotary table is rotated;

an annular upstanding wall surrounding said rotary table for preventing fluid from being thrown outward a material distance beyond said rotary table; and a plurality of fins for restraining said iluid from a spiral motion.

4. In a rotary machine of the type employed inthe drilling of oil wells, the combination of: a base; a rotary table; bearing means whereby said rotary table is rotatably supported on said base; drive means whereby said rotary table is rotated; a cylindrical wall surrounding said rotary table;. an annular flange extending inwardly over said rotary table; and iin means extending inwardly from said cylindrical wall.

5. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oil wells, the combination of a base; a rotary-table; bearing means whereby said rotary table is rotatably supported on said base; drive means whereby said rotary table is rotated; a cylindrical wall surrounding said rotary table; an annular` ange extending inwardly over said rotary table; and a plurality of axial fins extending into a passage formed within said cylindrical wall.

6. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oil wells, the combination of: a base having an upstanding wall; a rotary table cooperating with said base to form a closed chamber; bearing means whereby said rotary table 'is rotatably supported; a, separate annular rim surrounding said -upstanding wall, there being an annular channel between said upstanding wall and said annular rim; and an annular ridge extending downwardly from said rotary table into said annular channel.

'7. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oil wells, the combination of: a base having ian-upstanding wall; a rotary table cooperating with said base to form a closed chamber; bearing means `whereby said rotary table is rotatably'supported; an annular rim surrounding said upstanding wall, there being an annular channel between said upstanding wall and said annular rim, said channel being open at the upper and the lower parts; and an annular ridge extending downwardly from said rotary table into said annular channel.

8. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oil wells, the combination of a base having an upstandingwall; a rotary table cooperating with said base to form a closed chamber; bearing means whereby said rotary table is.

rotatably supported; a separate annular rim surrounding said upstanding wall, there being an annular channel between said upstanding walland said annular rim; an annular ridge extending downwardly from said rotary table into said annular channel; and a depending flange carried and the lower parts; an annular ridge extending l5, ldownwardly from said rotary table into said any nular channel; and a depending flange carried by said rotary table outside said annular rim.

10. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oil wells, the combination of: a 20 base having an upstanding wall; bearing means;

a rotary table rotatably supported by said bearing means, said base and said rotary -table cooperating to provide a lubricant chamber; and sealing means for said lubricant chamber including 25 a depending wall on said rotary table projecting downwardly inside said upstanding wall, anda shoulder extending inwardl:l from said upstand-- ing wall below said depending wall, there being drain means connected to the upper part of said 30 shoulder.

11. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oil wells, the combination of a base having an upstanding wall; bearing means; a rotary table rotatably supported by said bearing 35 means, said base and said rotary table cooperating to provide a lubricant chamber; and sealing means for said lubricant chamber including a depending wall on said rotary table projecting downwardly inside said upstanding wall, said depend- 40 ing wall having a bead formed at the lower end thereof, and a shoulder extending inwardly from said upstanding wall below said depending wall. there being drain means connected to the upper part of said shoulder. 45

12. In a rotary machine of the type employed in f the drilling of oil wells, the combination of a base having an upstanding wall; bearing means;

a rotary table rotatably supported by said bearing means, said base and said rotary table cooperating 50 to provide a lubricant chamber; and sealing means for said lubricant chamber including a depending wall on said rotary table projecting downwardly inside saidupstanding wall, said depending wall having a bead formed at the lower end thereof, 55 and a shoulder extending inwardly from said upstanding wall below said depending wall, the upper face of said shoulder forming a channel into which said bead extends, there being drain means connected to the upper part of said shoulder.

13. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oil wells, the combination of: a base; a rotary table rotatably supported on said base, said rotary table having an exterior surface onto which fluid may pass; drive means for ro- 55 tating said rotary table; and means providing a space around said rotary table into which said fluid is thrown by centrifugal force and forming a barrier for diverting said i'luid being throw outwardly from said rotary table.

14. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oil wells, the combination of: a base; a rotaryvtable rotatably supported on said base, said rotary table having an exterior surface onto which fluid may pass; drive means for ro- 75 tating said rotary table; means providing a space around said rotary table into which said iluid is thrown by centrifugal force for preventing said fluid from being thrown outwardly from said rotary machine; and means in said space for arresting the spiral motion of said uid,

l5. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oil wells, the combination of: a base having an upstanding wall; a rotary table rotatably supported on said base, said upstanding wall and said table cooperating to provide-a lubricant chamber; chamber for rotating said table; and a shoulder extending inwardly from said upstanding wall near the proximate portions of said upstanding Wall and said table, there being a drain passage in said shoulder.

16. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oil wells,y the combination of a base having an upstanding Wall; a rotary table rotatably supported on said base, said upstanding wall and said table cooperating to provide a lubridrive means in said lubricant' cant chamber, said upstanding wall and said table having proximate portions providing a space into which lubricant in said lubricant chamber is crowded by centrifugal force; and Walls forming a drain passage connected so as to drain lubri- 5 cant from said space back into said lubricant chamber.

17. 'In a rotary machine of the type employed in thedrilling of oil wells, the combination of: a base having an upstanding wail; a rotary table 10 rotatably supported on said base, said upstanding wall and said table cooperating to provide a lubricant chamber, said upstanding wall and said table having proximate portions providing a space into which lubricant in said lubricant chamber is 15 crowded by centrifugal force; and walls forming a drain passage connected at one end to said space so that the lubricant crowded in said space may flow into said drain passage, and connected at its other end to deliver said lubricant to said lubri- 20 cant chamber.

DAVID M. SMITH. 

